Cotton condenser



Nov. 24, 1936.

c. L. RICE COTTON CONDENSER Filed Sept. 5, 1955 Patented Nov. 24, 1936 UNITED STATES FATE rorrlce This invention relates to the class of cotton ginning machinery, and pertains particularly to improvements in condensers.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide 'an improved condenser in which the removal of the cotton from the cylinder is more readily accomplished than with condensers of the type at present in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved cotton condenser which-employs an air-blast for removing cotton from the condenser cylinder or reel just before the cotton reaches the doffer rolls so that all of the cotton will be removed and none will pass the dofiers and be lost.

a consideration of the following detaileddescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so :longas such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention, as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in cross section of a cotton condenser showing the device embodying the present invention in association therewith.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. v

Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral l indicates the casing or housing of the condenser into which a flue 2 leads to conduct the cotton from the gins to the condenser cylinder. The numeral 3 indicates the outlet for the casing through which the air passes with the dirt extracted from the cotton, and. disposed centrally within the casing is the usual screen cylinder 4 against the outer surface of which the cotton is discharged from the flue 2.

Mounted in the usual manner in an outlet 5 in the wall of the housing I are the dofier rolls 6 which receive and remove the cotton from the surface of the cylinder 4 from which it passes to the presses or bailers.

The present invention consists in providing a cylinder 4 with tubular supporting trunnions 1 through which pass the ends of a tubular shaft 8 which has an offset or crank portion 9 disposed within the cylinder 4 and extending throughout the length of the same, This crank p rtion thus The invention will be best understood from provides a parallel offset portion lil inthe crank which is disposed in relatively close proximity to the circular wall of the cylinder and which has air discharge apertures l l therein which are directed toward the cylinder wall so that air introduced into the tubular shaft will be discharged outwardly. through the screen of the cylinder. One end of the shaft 8 is closed and the other end has connected therewith any suitable means the casing l at the top of the cylinder 4 and is directed downwardly onto the cylinder while the outlet 3 is beneath the cylinder, thus forminga shaft 8 is an arcuate'shield plate l4, any suitable means Such as U-bolts l5 being employed for securing it to the shaft. This plate is of sufficien't exte'nt to have its top edge disposedadjacent the flue 2 and its lower edge extending circumferentially of the screen beyond the doifer rolls 6 so that it will deflect the air entering through the flue 2 away from the doffer rolls. In order to prevent any air from entering between the shield l4 and the screen of the cylinder, the edges of the shield are bordered with flanges it of hard rubber or other suitable material which project laterally from the ends of the shaft toward the screen as illustrated.

While any suitable means may be employed for rotating the cylinder 4, there is shown a sprocket gear I! upon one of the trunnions 1 with which a suitable driving chain may be coupled.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that as the cotton is discharged through the flue 2 against the cylinder 4, it will cling to the cylinder in the usual manner and the air passing therethrough will extract the dirt from the cotton as it passes around toward the doffer rolls. Air discharged from the apertures ll of the crank-shaped portion of the shaft 8 will remove or tend to loosen the cotton on the cylinder screen so that it may be readily picked up by the doffer rolls and completely removed from the condenser. The shield l4 prevents the air from the flue 2 interfering with this operation, and thus all of the cotton will be extracted from the condenser and none will pass out through the dirt discharge opening 3.

What is claimed, is:

1. A cotton condenser including a casing, a screen cylinder having end walls and rotatably for introducing air under pressure such as the "10 air pump I2 which may be driven in any suitable manner, as by an electric motor l3.

- As shown, the cotton discharging flue 2 enters mounted therein and a doffer roll, means for introducing cotton through the upper part of the casing onto the screen cylinder, air outlet means for the casing beneath the cylinder, a tubular shaft extending through the cylinder and having portions passing through the axial center of said end walls and an offset portion between the end walls and in close proximity to and paralleling the side wall of the cylinder, said offset portion having air discharge openings directed towards the adjacent cylinder Wall, means for discharging air under pressure through said openings, and a shield member supported by the ofiset portion of the shaft and extending over and in spaced relation with the interior surface of the cylinder side wall between the cotton inlet and the doffer roll said shield including end flanges extending toward and into close relation with said side wall.

2. In a structure of the character described, a casing having a material inlet, an air inlet and outlet and a material outlet having doflfer rolls therein, a screen cylinder in the casing having end supporting trunnions mounted in opposite walls of the casing, the cylinder having end outlet openings, an air pipe passing through the cylinder and through the trunnions, said pipe having the portion thereof between the trunnions offset and in close parallel relation with the screened side wall of the cylinder adjacent said rolls, the said wall paralleling portion of the pipe having outlet apertures directed toward the screened wall, and an arcuate guard wall disposed within the cylinder and extending from adjacent the material inlet to adjacent the material outlet, said wall being supported by said pipe and having the offset portion of the pipe between'it and the cylinder wall.

3. In a cotton condenser, a casing having a top cotton inlet opening and an outlet opening and air inlet and outlet openings, doffer rolls in the cotton outlet opening, a cylinder in the casing having a screen side wall and end walls having openings, trunnions carried by the end walls whereby the cylinder is rotatably supported in the casing, a pipe extending through the cylinder and having portions passing through the trunnions, the portion of the pipe lying within the cylinder having an offset portion substantially equaling the interior length of the cylinder and in closely spaced parallel relation with the side wall thereof, the portion of the pipe facing said screen wall having air outlet apertures therein, means for forcing air under pressure into the pipe, the apertured part of the pipe being relatively close to said dofier rolls, an arcuate shield disposed in the cylinder across the offset portion of the pipe and extending from adjacent the cotton inlet to adjacent the outlet, and means securing the shield to the pipe whereby it is supported thereby.

4. In a, cotton condenser, a casing having a cotton inlet opening and an outlet opening and air inlet and outlet openings, doffer rolls in the cotton outlet opening, a cylinder in the casing having a screen side wall and end walls having openings, trunnions carried by the end walls whereby the cylinder is rotatably supported in the casing, a pipe extending through the cylinder and having portions passing through the trunnions, the portion of the pipe lying within the cylinder having an offset portion substantially equaling the interior length of the cylinder and in closely spaced parallel relation with the side wall thereof, the portion of the pipe facing said screen wall having air outlet apertures therein, means for forcing air under pressure into the pipe, the apertured part of the pipe being relatively close to said doffer rolls, an arcuate shield disposed in the cylinder across the offset portion of the pipe and extending from adjacent the cotton inlet to adjacent the outlet, means securing the shield to the pipe whereby it is supported thereby, and flange means bordering the shield and closely approaching the side and end walls of the cylinder.

CHARLES L. RICE. 

